Patents Assigned to Rambus
  • Patent number: 10388355
    Abstract: A memory cell within an integrated-circuit memory component receives a first control signal that transitions between supply voltage levels of a first voltage domain and a second control signal that transitions between supply voltage levels of a second voltage domain different from the first voltage domain. In response to the transitions of the first and second control signal, output-enable circuitry within the memory cell transitions an output-enable signal between one of the supply voltage levels of the first voltage domain and one of the supply voltage levels of the second voltage domain to enable output signal generation on an output signal line coupled to the memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Frederick A. Ware, John Eric Linstadt
  • Patent number: 10387075
    Abstract: A buffer circuit includes a primary interface, a secondary interface, and an encoder/decoder circuit. The primary interface is configured to communicate on an n-bit channel, wherein n parallel bits on the n-bit channel are coded using data bit inversion (DBI). The secondary interface is configured to communicate with a plurality of integrated circuit devices on a plurality of m-bit channels, each m-bit channel transmitting m parallel bits without using DBI. And the encoder/decoder circuit is configured to translate data words between the n-bit channel of the primary interface and the plurality of m-bit channels of the secondary interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventor: Scott C. Best
  • Patent number: 10388396
    Abstract: A buffer circuit is disclosed. The buffer circuit includes a command address (C/A) interface to receive an incoming activate (ACT) command and an incoming column address strobe (CAS) command. A first match circuit includes first storage to store failure row address information associated with the memory, and first compare logic. The first compare logic is responsive to the ACT command, to compare incoming row address information to the stored failure row address information. A second match circuit includes second storage to store failure column address information associated with the memory, and second compare logic. The second compare logic is responsive to the CAS command, to compare the incoming column address information to the stored failure column address information. Gating logic maintains a state of a matching row address identified by the first compare logic during the comparison carried out by the second compare logic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Scott C. Best, John Eric Linstadt, Paul William Roukema
  • Patent number: 10388337
    Abstract: Row activation operations within a memory component are carried out with respect to subrows instead of complete storage rows to reduce power consumption. Further, instead of activating subrows in response to row commands, subrow activation operations are deferred until receipt of column commands that specify the column operation to be performed and the subrow to be activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: James E. Harris, Thomas Vogelsang, Frederick A. Ware, Ian P. Shaeffer
  • Patent number: 10389303
    Abstract: Circuitry capable of performing fractional clock multiplication by using an injection-locked oscillator is described. Some embodiments described herein perform fractional clock multiplication by periodically changing the injection location, from a set of injection locations, where the injection signal is injected and/or by periodically changing a phase, from a set of phases, of the injection signal that is injected into the ILO.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Masum Hossain, Farshid Aryanfar, Mohammad Hekmat, Reza Navid
  • Patent number: 10386788
    Abstract: An infrared imaging system includes a phase grating overlying a two-dimensional array of thermally sensitive pixels. The phase grating comprises a two-dimensional array of identical subgratings that define a system of Cartesian coordinates. The subgrating and pixel arrays are sized and oriented such that the pixels are evenly distributed with respect to the row and column intersections of the subgratings. The location of each pixel thus maps to a unique location beneath a virtual archetypical subgrating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick R. Gill, David G. Stork, John Eric Linstadt
  • Patent number: 10379752
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are techniques for implementing high-throughput low-latency hybrid memory modules with improved data backup and restore throughput, enhanced non-volatile memory controller (NVC) resource access, and enhanced mode register setting programmability. Embodiments comprise a command replicator to generate sequences of one or more DRAM read and/or write and/or other commands to be executed in response to certain local commands from a non-volatile memory controller (NVC) during data backup and data restore operations. Other embodiments comprise an access engine to enable an NVC in a host control mode to trigger entry into a special mode and issue commands to access a protected register space. Some embodiments comprise a mode register controller to capture and store the data comprising mode register setting commands issued during a host control mode, such that an NVC can program the DRAM mode registers in an NVC control mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Aws Shallal, Michael Miller, Stephen Horn
  • Patent number: 10381067
    Abstract: Systems, among other embodiments, include topologies (data and/or control/address information) between an integrated circuit buffer device (that may be coupled to a master, such as a memory controller) and a plurality of integrated circuit memory devices. For example, data may be provided between the plurality of integrated circuit memory devices and the integrated circuit buffer device using separate segmented (or point-to-point link) signal paths in response to control/address information provided from the integrated circuit buffer device to the plurality of integrated circuit buffer devices using a single fly-by (or bus) signal path. An integrated circuit buffer device enables configurable effective memory organization of the plurality of integrated circuit memory devices. The memory organization represented by the integrated circuit buffer device to a memory controller may be different than the actual memory organization behind or coupled to the integrated circuit buffer device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Ian Shaeffer, Ely Tsern, Craig Hampel
  • Patent number: 10380053
    Abstract: A memory module comprises a data interface including a plurality of data lines and a plurality of configurable switches coupled between the data interface and a data path to one or more memories. The effective width of the memory module can be configured by enabling or disabling different subsets of the configurable switches. The configurable switches may be controlled by manual switches, by a buffer on the memory module, by an external memory controller, or by the memories on the memory module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Amir Amirkhany, Suresh Rajan, Ravindranath Kollipara, Ian Shaeffer, David A. Secker
  • Patent number: 10380056
    Abstract: A memory device or module selects between alternative command ports. Memory systems with memory modules incorporating such memory devices support point-to-point connectivity and efficient interconnect usage for different numbers of modules. The memory devices and modules can be of programmable data widths. Devices on the same module can be configured select different command ports to facilitate memory threading. Modules can likewise be configured to select different command ports for the same purpose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Liji Gopalakrishnan, Ian Shaeffer, Yi Lu
  • Patent number: 10378967
    Abstract: During operation of an IC component within a first range of temperatures, a first bias voltage is applied to a first substrate region disposed adjacent a first plurality of transistors to effect a first threshold voltage for the first plurality of transistors. During operation of the IC component within a second range of temperatures that is distinct from and lower than the first range of temperatures, a second bias voltage is applied to the first substrate region to effect a second threshold voltage for the first plurality of transistors that is at least as low as the first threshold voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Vogelsang, Frederick A. Ware
  • Patent number: 10382023
    Abstract: A clock generating circuit is operated in a phase-locking mode to generate an output clock signal having a first frequency that is phased-locked with respect to a variable-frequency input clock signal. After a frequency transition in the input clock signal, phase-locking is disabled within the clock generating circuit to transition the output clock signal from the first frequency to a second frequency that lacks phase-alignment with the input clock signal, then a frequency-lock range of the clock generating circuit is adjusted to transition the output clock signal from the second frequency to a third frequency that also lacks phase alignment with the input clock signal. After adjusting the frequency-lock range of the clock generating circuit, phase-locking is re-enabled therein to transition the output clock signal from the third frequency to a fourth frequency that is phase-aligned with the variable-frequency input clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Yue Lu, Jared L. Zerbe
  • Patent number: 10367636
    Abstract: A receiver with clock phase calibration is disclosed. A first sampling circuit generates first digital data based on an input signal, a sampling phase of the first sampling circuit controlled by a first clock signal. A second sampling circuit generates second digital data based on the input signal, a sampling phase of the second sampling circuit controlled by a second clock signal. Circuitry within the receiver calibrates the clocks in different stages. During a first calibration stage, a phase of the second clock signal is adjusted while the first digital data is selected for generating the output data. During a second calibration stage, a phase of the first clock signal is adjusted while the first digital data is selected for the output data path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Marko Aleksic, Simon Li, Roxanne Vu
  • Patent number: 10366045
    Abstract: An integrated circuit device includes a transmitter circuit including an output driver. The integrated circuit device includes a first register to store a value representative of a drive strength setting associated with the transmitter circuit such that the output driver outputs data in accordance with the drive strength setting. The integrated circuit device also includes a second register to store a value representative of an equalization setting associated with the transmitter circuit such that the output driver outputs data in accordance with the equalization setting. The integrated circuit device further includes a third register to store a value representative of a slew rate setting associated with the transmitter circuit such that the output driver outputs data in accordance with the slew rate setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Mark A. Horowitz, Craig E. Hampel, Alfredo Moncayo, Kevin S. Donnelly, Jared L. Zerbe
  • Patent number: 10362256
    Abstract: Signals representative of total photocharge integrated within respective image-sensor pixels are read out of the pixels after a first exposure interval that constitutes a first fraction of a frame interval. Signals in excess of a threshold level are read out of the pixels after an ensuing second exposure interval that constitutes a second fraction of the frame interval, leaving residual photocharge within the pixels. After a third exposure interval that constitutes a third fraction of the frame interval, signals representative of a combination of at least the residual photocharge and photocharge integrated within the pixels during the third exposure interval are read out of the pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Jay Endsley, Thomas Vogelsang, Craig M. Smith, Michael Guidash, Alexander C. Schneider
  • Patent number: 10360972
    Abstract: A memory system includes dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) component that include interconnected and redundant component data interfaces. The redundant interfaces facilitate memory interconnect topologies that accommodate considerably more DRAM components per memory channel than do traditional memory systems, and thus offer considerably more memory capacity per channel, without concomitant reductions in signaling speeds. Each DRAM component includes multiplexers that allow either of the data interfaces to write data to or read data from a common set of memory banks, and to selectively relay write and read data to and from other components, bypassing the local banks. Delay elements can impose selected read/write delays to align read and write transactions from and to disparate DRAM components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Frederick A. Ware, Ely K. Tsern, John Eric Linstadt, Thomas J. Giovannini, Scott C. Best, Kenneth L. Wright
  • Patent number: 10356350
    Abstract: Photocharge is accumulated within an image sensor pixel array during a first exposure interval. At conclusion of the first exposure interval, accumulated photocharge is discarded from a first subset of the pixels to emulate absence of incident light with respect to those pixels. After discarding accumulated photocharge from the first subset of the pixels, first and second readout signals are generated, the first readout signals corresponding to respective pixels not included in the first subset and indicative of photocharge accumulated therein, and the second readout signals corresponding to respective pixels included in the first subset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Guidash, Jay Endsley, John Ladd, Thomas Vogelsang, Craig M. Smith
  • Patent number: 10356313
    Abstract: Image-sensing devices include odd-symmetry gratings that cast interference patterns over a photodetector array. Grating features offer considerable insensitivity to the wavelength of incident light, and also to the manufactured distance between the grating and the photodetector array. Photographs and other image information can be extracted from interference patterns captured by the photodetector array. Efficient extraction algorithms based on Fourier deconvolution introduce barrel distortion, which can be removed by resampling using correction functions. The sensing devices can be made to minimize distortion that results from efficient extraction algorithms based on Fourier deconvolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventor: Patrick R. Gill
  • Patent number: 10355888
    Abstract: A signaling circuit having a selectable-tap equalizer. The signaling circuit includes a buffer, a select circuit and an equalizing circuit. The buffer is used to store a plurality of data values that correspond to data signals transmitted on a signaling path during a first time interval. The select circuit is coupled to the buffer to select a subset of data values from the plurality of data values according to a select value. The equalizing circuit is coupled to receive the subset of data values from the select circuit and is adapted to adjust, according to the subset of data values, a signal level that corresponds to a data signal transmitted on the signaling path during a second time interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Jared L. Zerbe, Vladimir M. Stojanovic, Fred F. Chen
  • Patent number: 10345836
    Abstract: An integrated circuit component receives an input signal via an external signal conduction path during a first interval and transmits an output signal via the external signal conduction path during a second interval. The integrated circuit component terminates the input signal and the output signal within one or more termination elements having an impedance in accordance with a characteristic impedance of the external signal conduction path to obviate signal termination within another integrated circuit component to which the output signal is destined and from which the input signal is sourced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Frederick A. Ware, John Eric Linstadt